University News

Joel D. Revalee, an Honors Program student at the University of Memphis, has been named a 2006 Goldwater Scholar.

Revalee is a junior from Memphis majoring in physics and mathematical sciences, with plans to pursue a Ph.D. in physics. He has a perfect 4.0 grade point average and extensive research experience. He is one of eleven U of M students selected to present research projects at the 20th annual National Council for Undergraduate Research next month. His presentation will be on "Elastic Properties of Lipid Membranes with Adsorbed Polymers."

Faculty members supporting Revalee's application were Dr. Gisèle Ruiz Goldstein of mathematical sciences and Dr. Mohamed Laradji and Dr. Robert Marchini, both on the physics faculty. Wrote Goldstein in her letter of recommendation, "Joel is simply the best undergraduate I have ever known, period. He always turned in perfect homework assignments, and many of the problems were quite challenging. In two semesters he missed exactly one point on all the tests and examinations combined. His performance far exceeded that of all the graduate students in the class.

"I have taught many, many talented undergraduates who went to very good graduate programs and later obtained Ph.D. degrees in mathematics. In my opinion, Joel is better than any of these students."

This year's Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,081 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. Virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. degree. The one- and two-year scholarships cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

Thirty-two of the group are mathematics majors, 234 are science majors, 47 are majoring in engineering, and 10 are computer science-related majors. Many of them, like Revalee, have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer disciplines.